MINI improves saltmarsh carbon monitoring

A new hyperspectral index, moisture-insensitive non-photosynthetic vegetation index (MINI), enables more reliable estimation of vegetation cover in coastal saltmarsh wetlands under changing moisture conditions. By distinguishing non-photosynthetic vegetation, photosynthetic vegetation, and bare soil more accurately than existing indices, the method could improve wetland monitoring, blue carbon assessment, and ecological restoration in tidal coastal environments.